froots Magazine & RadioIndy Reviews
by
humsafar
Firefly is the debut release by the UK-based Indus. The quartet features Mohamed Assani (sitar), John Ball (santoor), Henrik Linnemann (western flute) and Shahbaz Hussain (tabla and vocals on 'A Night at the Court' and bols - rhythmic mnemonics - on 'In the Round.') Recorded live in studio, track titles like 'Mind the Gap,' 'Kafi Lounge,' and 'A Night at the Court' give flavours of what to expect. The music is out of a similar frame of mind that guided the Indian Quintet of Daya Shankar, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Tarun Bhattacharya, Ramesh Misra and Kumar Bose on their 'Raga-Ragini' back in 1988. What shines out is that this is an improvised art form. These compositions were not made for exact replication. Indus' progress is going to be one to keep a beady eye upon. Suggested entry points: 'Firefly' and 'In the Round.' (Ken Hunt, froots Magazine, Aug/Sept 2010)
Recorded live in studio, Indus’ debut CD “Firefly” is an exhilarating mix of Eastern melodies and instrumentation performed with a jazz ensemble-like flair for spontaneity, improvisation and - not least, playfulness. Incorporating sitar, santoor (a 100-stringed instrument played with wooden mallets), Western flute and tabla, the 4-piece band stretches the boundaries of their Hindustani-inspired music in a musical exploration that’s both rich in tradition as well as brilliantly modern. On CD-opener, “Mind the Gap,” Indus’ playfulness is in full evidence; a rhythmically complex piece that challenges each musician to stay true to the beat, it is an 11-minute workout of pure inspiration. “A Night at the Court” utilizes improvisational scat-like singing (called “bols,” the language of tabla) over a regal melody reminiscent of classical Persian extemporization. In fact, the album’s opus, “Esfahan,” draws the neighboring cultures of India, Pakistan and Iran into sharp relief over the course of a wildly provocative 19-minute jam that gives each player more than ample space to improvise and experiment with melody, rhythm, tone and harmony. Equally challenging and rewarding, the evocative “Firefly” CD by Indus is perfect for fans of Indian music, or for listeners of similarly modern World Music visionaries (e.g., John McLaughlin’s Shakti or Anouar Brahem). (RadioIndy Review)
